It’s an exceptionally busy period, but for those who serve at this beloved temple, such bustle is simply part of the tradition behind the Festival of Lights.

“It’s non-stop. Many come with their families, perform their ‘archanai’ (prayers), take food, and light the ghee lights.

“Some people have been coming here for generations. They came here as children and now bring their children here,” temple committee member and public officer K Saraswathy told FMT Lifestyle.

One of the most well-known Hindu places of worship in the country, the Sri Sundararaja Perumal Temple is renowned for its stunning architecture and reverent spiritual atmosphere.

This hallowed hall, dedicated to Lord Vishnu in the form of Sri Sundararaja Perumal, is often called the “Thirupathi of Southeast Asia”, referring to the famed temple in India.

It is also listed in the Malaysia Book of Records as the first granite temple in the country, and is the first Hindu temple in the country to receive ISO 9001:2000 certification for excellence in religious, cultural and social services.

The temple is most active during the month of Puratasi in September and October, which sees devotees from all over Asia flock here.

Its history is long and colourful. The Sri Sundararaja Perumal Temple was established in 1892 by Gopala Swamy Iyenggar, a petition writer from Klang who brought a shrine here from India, so the local community could pray.

What began as a modest hut gradually expanded into a full-fledged place of worship. Its management was later taken over by the Klang Town Council, which oversaw its refurbishment and upkeep for many years.

In the 1970s, a member of its management committee, S Anandakrishna, had a brainwave: why not rebuild the temple in granite?

“In Malaysia, most temples were made out of concrete. They would last for about 70 years before having to be demolished and rebuilt due to cracks.

“Then I went to India, and I saw temples that were 500, 600, 1,000 years old. I did research and discovered those temples were made of granite.

“So I thought, why not try that here?” said Anandakrishna, who is now the temple’s management committee chairman. He has been worshipping here for 55 years.

But the idea was considered radical at the time: many artisans refused to take on a project of this scope, believing it to be costly and unworkable.

Anandakrishna thus had to embark on the project on his own. Thankfully, many devotees were open to the plan, and he was able to find support and sponsors.

The reconstruction of the temple took about seven years; today, it stands as a proud and majestic testament to the faith and dedication of the local Hindu community. Anandakrishna believes several other temples are also planning to move to granite in future.

According to Saraswathy, granite resounds with certain frequencies that are beneficial for the chanting of mantras: one chant by a priest on granite is said to be equal to about a thousand chants.

This makes the temple a magnet for marriages in particular, with the temple conducting about 200 of them in an average year.

Saraswathy added that they are looking to increase community activities in the near future, and are endeavouring to provide modern, digitised amenities.

These include setting up digital stations onsite for prayer requests, as well as developing a mobile app for devotees to keep connected with the temple’s activities.

Still, Saraswathy believes that devotees keep coming back to the Sri Sundararaja Perumal Temple not because of its granite foundations or modern conveniences, but thanks to its faithful adherence to tradition.

“We have been conducting rituals here for over 135 years. We do not alter them, and we will continue to practise them and pass them down to the next generation,” she said.

“We think that’s why people keep coming here. The feeling that we are genuine; that what has been practised by our fathers and forefathers will be practised by us also. We will never change what we have been taught – not for profit or anything else.”

She concluded: “We at the temple would like to wish everyone a happy Deepavali. We hope for health and wealth for everyone, and for all to be blessed with radiance, warmth and energy.”

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Sri Sundararaja Perumal Temple
80, Jalan Mastika,
Off Persiaran Raja Muda Musa,
41100 Klang, Selangor

For location, click here.

Contact: 03-3371 1763